Functional orange juice with Lactobacillus casei and tocotrienol-enriched flaxseed oil co-encapsulation: Physicochemical properties, probiotic viability, oxidative stability, and sensorial acceptability

This study aimed to co-encapsulate Lactobacillus casei and tocotrienol-enriched flaxseed oil in calcium alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel beads (CA-CMC) for application in orange juice. Physicochemical character-istics and sensory acceptability of control orange juice (without beads) and the juice containing L. casei, flaxseed oil, tocotrienol-enriched flaxseed oil, L. casei and flaxseed oil and L. casei and tocotrienol-enriched flaxseed oil beads were assessed. A synergism between the viability of L. casei and the oxidative stability of oil with/without tocotrienol was found in co-encapsulates during storage in orange juice. Juices with beads were not significantly varied for pH, acidity, total soluble solid, turbidity and browning index than control during 30 days of storage. Juices with beads have lower sensory acceptability scores than the control. About 54% of panellists preferred orange juices with functional ingredients. Co-encapsulated CA-CMC beads may have utility in functional orange juice formulations to deliver multiple bioactives in a single food system.